Sean O’Malley Vs. Cory Sandhagen – How Does It Play Out?

Sean O’Malley has hinted at a showdown with Cory Sandhagen at the UFC White House event in June 2026, as we look at how the fight could play out.

O’Malley is not in the best form, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Merab Dvalishvili. He lost his UFC Bantamweight belt to Merab at UFC 306 in September 2024 after which he was out for a period with surgery on his hip. O’Malley then returned to rematch Merab at UFC 316 in June. However, he suffered a submission loss, missing out on reclaiming his belt. Merab will now defend his belt against Cory at UFC 320 in October. If Cory beats Merab, Sean would target that fight. However, O’Malley is also wiling to fight another top contender if Merab were to win. There have been rumours over a Song Yadong fight for November. 

“Yeah, the White House card, if Cory [Sandhagen] goes out there and wins, I beat whoever is next, that’s interesting. But regardless, I want to fight within the next four or five months or whatever it is, so that I’ll also be ready for that because they [UFC] said it could be in June, could be International Fight Week or could be July.“So if I can get one in early next year or at the end of [this] year, one of the two, count me in. I want to be on that card. Dude, being on the Sphere card, being on the White House card, these are legendary moments that are once in a lifetime f***ing moments,” O’Malley said

The Approach

O’Malley, with his precision and fast hands, would likely look to find an opening for his signature straight right or left hook. Sandhagen would aim to counter O’Malley’s linear attacks with spinning elbows, flying knees, and a more unpredictable rhythm. For example, O’Malley might land a clean jab early on, but Sandhagen could respond with a sudden switch-kick to the body.

A key factor would be O’Malley’s ability to maintain his cardio and mobility after his hip surgery and recent submission loss, as Sandhagen’s pace is notoriously high. O’Malley would have a chance to prove his two losses were a result of a stylistic nightmare in Merab, while Sandhagen would look to re-establish himself as the top challenger. The winner would almost certainly earn the next shot at the champion, Merab, creating a clear and exciting path forward for the division.